Super Miser Super Kings

The IPL’s second semifinal between the Chennai Super Kings and Deccan Chargers was an uncharacteristic Twenty20 match. It was low scoring. Tight. It was about the bowlers.

The IPL’s second semifinal between the Chennai Super Kings and Deccan Chargers was an uncharacteristic Twenty20 match. It was low scoring. Tight. It was about the bowlers.

Even though the Navi Mumbai wicket had some tricks and lift, the Chargers must have considered the job half done when they allowed Chennai only 142 after Chennai won the toss and batted. But Chennai rebounded with a superb performance by their bowlers, mainly off spinner R Ashwin and left-arm seamer Doug Bollinger. The fielding was sharp. Suresh Raina is a man with a taste for Gaultier jeans and Louis Vuitton luggage. On the field, his livewire fielding is a designer label in itself. He was sensational.

The match was reminiscent of last year’s final at the Wanderers, where Bangalore limited the Chargers to a modest score but found it beyond them when it was their turn to bat.

Few important games in the tournament have seen such a fighting bowling performance as Chennai’s on Thursday. The start was especially impressive. Ashwin and Bollinger conceded two runs in the first two overs. With those twelve balls, Chennai added to their total of 141, as it were. Runs saved are runs scored.

The stunning performance continued. After five overs, Deccan only had 19 on the board. It was not a pair of dorks that Ashwin and Bollinger kept quiet. It was Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs.

Funny how fortunes change in sports. At one time Chennai seemed destined to lose. On a slow wicket they struggled to hit their stride. Matthew Hayden was bent on getting out. He was dropped twice. Did Hayden say “Boys, you just dropped the ugly IPL Trophy”? No. He said, “Here, take one more lolly.” Murali Vijay and Raina did not do much either. MS Dhoni showed malleable arms working the ball around. S Badrinath applied himself, sweat drops rolling down the bridge of his angular nose and then jumping off. Chennai now had some runs. But not enough runs. They knew it. The frustration was apparent in Badrinath’s John McEnroe moment, when he hurled his bat to the ground with his left-hand after giving Gilchrist the opportunity to stump him. S Anirudha, K Srikkanth’s son, continued the family tradition with some big hits to at least push the score past 140. Forty six runs came in the last five overs.

But 142 proved more than enough for Chennai. The Chargers batting struggled for rhythm or timing. It is always sad to see them lose because they seem a friendly, accessible team compared to some other outfits, which are either haughty or uninspiring or both. One felt particularly sympathetic towards the Chargers batsman T Suman. He got sledged left, right and center in the tournament. At the same venue many days ago, when Shashi Tharoor was still a minister, Suman got it from Harbhajan Singh. Earlier, Rohit Sharma, his own teammate, had fired a cuss word at him for almost running him out. On Thursday, Suman was given a vocal send-off by Bollinger. Why they pick on Suman one does not know. Either he is annoying or just unlucky.

I’m not an expert to advice the Chargers on matters pertaining to cricket. But I have a suggestion for them concerning something else. Guys, give Pragyan Ojha longer shirts. Every time he bowls, his shirt flies up to reveal his belly. It made him the IPL’s only playing cheerleader.

Chennai Super KingsDeccan ChargersIPL 2010